Nov 13, 2012

Romer Says Disability Benefits Need Reform

Another entitlement program needing attention is Social Security
Disability Insurance. It provides essential support for people unable to
work, and will be even more important if we raise the Medicare
eligibility age. But the current system is expensive and inefficient.
The rolls have surged in recent decades, and the system discourages
part-time work and moves to less-demanding jobs. Economists have proposed innovations
that could allow more workers to stay in the labor force — thus slowing
spending growth and improving the security and well-being of disabled
workers.

Romer was at one time chairwoman of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers. The "innovations" touted by Romer are completely unworkable. Any "reform" of Social Security disability will almost certainly take the form of making it harder to qualify for benefits with some meaningless fig leaf of rehabilitation added on top to distract people about what is being done.